Anthurium hybrid cultivar Atwentysix.
This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Altha, Fla. The objective of the program was to develop a vigorous pot Anthurium cultivar, resistant to Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae, with attractive foliage and attractive spathes well visible above foliage.
The new Anthurium was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 1998 as a seedling within the progeny of a cross made in 1995 in a controlled environment in Altha, Fla. The female parent was a proprietary Anthurium seedling selection identified by the code number 91-11-48, obtained by the Inventor in the same breeding program, not patented. The male parent was a selected clone of Anthurium hybrid cultivar Lady Jane identified by the code number 941, not patented.
Asexual propagation of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99, since 1998, by means of tissue culture in Altha, Fla. has established that the unique characteristics of this new cultivar are in fact stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The new Anthurium cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and/or horticultural practices such as temperature, light intensity, day length, fertilization, irrigation, propagation procedures etc., without any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar of pot Anthurium:
1. Medium size plant, appropriate for 15-cm to 20-cm containers;
2. Vigorous growth;
3. Abundant branching;
4. Very early, abundant and year-round flowering;
5. Relatively large, dark pink-red, glossy spathes with good longevity on the plant;
6. Spathes held high above foliage on strong, relatively thick peduncles;
7. Cream-colored spadices;
8. Resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae. 
Plants of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are distinguished from plants of the female parent, a proprietary Anthurium seedling selection identified by the code number 91-11-48, by its smaller size; earlier and more abundant branching; earlier flowering; smaller leaf blades; glossier, more pinkish spathes; and cream-colored spadices as opposed to dark purple spadices of 91-11-48.
Plants of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are distinguished from plants of the male parent, a selected clone of Anthurium hybrid cultivar Lady Jane identified by the code number 941, by its more vigorous growth; earlier and more abundant branching; earlier and more abundant flowering; larger, more deltoid spathes, with lower length:width ratio, darker pink-red, held higher above foliage; and cream-colored spadices as opposed to pinkish-cream spadices of xe2x80x98Lady Janexe2x80x99 # 941.
The new cultivar can be compared to its siblings disclosed in the concurrent U.S. Plant Patent applications as the cultivars xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 (Ser. No. 09/961,829) and xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 (Ser. No. 09/960,455). The comparisons were made on plants of the same age, grown side-by-side under the same greenhouse conditions in Altha, Fla.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar Favorita in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 start branching later than plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 flower less abundantly than plants of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
3. Foliage of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 is shorter than foliage of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 due to shorter petioles.
4. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are lighter green and less glossy than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
5. Spathes of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are larger and held higher above foliage than spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99.
6. Spathes of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are dark pink-red, whereas spathes of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are orange-red.
7. Spadices of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are cream-colored, whereas spadices of xe2x80x98Favoritaxe2x80x99 are pink-purple.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar Valentine in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are larger, branch later and less abundantly and have more open growth habit than plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
2. Plants of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 flower earlier, but less abundantly than plants of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
3. Leaf blades of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are larger than leaf blades of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 and have greater length:width ratio.
4. Peduncles of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are thicker, stronger and longer than peduncles of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
5. Spathes of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are held higher above foliage, are larger and have shorter longevity on the plant than spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99.
6. Spathes of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are dark pink-red, whereas spathes of xe2x80x98Valentinexe2x80x99 are deep red.
The new cultivar can be compared to the known Anthurium cultivar xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,355, a/k/a Red Hot(trademark). The comparisons were made on plants of the same age, grown side-by-side under the same greenhouse conditions in Altha, Fla.
Plants of the new Anthurium cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar 75-10 in the following characteristics:
1. Foliage of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 is shorter than foliage of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 due to shorter petioles.
2. Inflorescences of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are of a good quality from the onset of flowering, whereas several first spathes produced by plants of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are very small and deformed.
3. Spathes of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are held higher above foliage than spathes of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99.
4. Peduncles of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are green with varying amounts of purplish and brownish coloration, whereas peduncles of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are dark purple.
5. Spathes of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are more deltoid, with lower length:width ratio, glossier and are dark pink-red, whereas spathes of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are dull red.
6. Spathes of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 maintain color and gloss longer than spathes of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99.
7. Spadices of xe2x80x98Atwentysixxe2x80x99 are cream-colored, whereas spadices of xe2x80x9875-10xe2x80x99 are dark purple.